Goa is all set to commemorate the 30th death anniversary of the Dr. Jack de Sequeira commonly known as the Father of the Opinion Poll of 1967. On October 17, 1989 Dr Sequeira had passed away and today on October 17, 2019 it will be his 30th death anniversary.
On this day one cannot forget his gigantic role played during the Opinion Poll to safeguard our Bangarachem Goem. This was the first ever Opinion Poll held in free India to decide the fate of Goa. The issue was fought on only one point. The merger of Goa into Maharashtra or whether Goa wants to stay separate as the Union Territory.
Dr Jack de Sequeira of United Goans Party was against the merger of Goa into Maharashtra where as Dayanand Bandodkar of MGP was all for Goa’s merger into Maharashtra. Lots of political battles were played and hectic political meetings used to take place to make Goans aware in order to vote against the merger. MGP was also all for the merger and most of their meetings used to be held in the North of Goa and Tiswadi areas. Salcete people played the major role to keep Goa for Goans.
Late Dr Jack de Sequeira was the first Opposition Leader and he was a principled intellectual and distinguished politician. He was bold and his powerful leadership prevented the merger of Goa into Maharashtra. It was he who initiated the movement of real Goenkarponn for a separate State with its unique Identity with Konkani as its mother tongue. Had it not been his vision to protect Goan Identity and preserve Goa for posterity, now our beautiful Goa would have been a small district of Maharashtra. Its a great honour for the native Goans but surprisingly he was not remembered or not honoured adequately by our government. His work to save Goa along with his other followers and partners like Sarmalkar, V.M.Salgaonkar, Teotonio D’Costa and many others needs to be remembered and taught for the present generations.
It was in the best interest of the Goan masses a chapter on the first Opinion Poll of 1967 need to be taught in the history books of our school syllabus. The role played by the political parties and the leaders involved in Opinion Poll have to be remembered by the future generations. Whatever the politicians and critics feel but nobody will able to change the history of Opinion Poll-1967.
Time and again Goans are demanding that a life size statue of Dr Jack de Sequeira needs to be installed in the Secretariat complex at Porvorim. It is time for all the Goans who swear in the name of Goenkarponn to demand with the present Govt to implement the resolution that was passed in the legislature assembly in the year 1998 to install a life size statue of the Father of the Opinion Poll Dr Jack de Sequeira. Dotor being the son of the soil of Goa and the MLA of Panjim Constituency I would suggest a common Memorial of the leaders can be erected where Dr.Jack de Sequeira should find a definite place.
